RE-HATTING AMIS: AUSTRIA AGREES WITH USG STRATEGY

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000723

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG, IO/PSC, AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2016
TAGS: PREL KPKO AU NATO
SUBJECT: RE-HATTING AMIS: AUSTRIA AGREES WITH USG STRATEGY

REF: STATE 36548

Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) On March 7, we conveyed reftel talking points to the
MFA's Africa Department and followed-up on March 9 with Georg
Lennkh, the MFA's Special Envoy for Africa. Lennkh had just
returned from Brussels, where Deputy Secretary Zoellick had
briefed EU representatives on the USG position. Lennkh said
the EU and USG positions are basically identical: the AMIS
should transition as soon as possible into a UN Mission.
Lennkh added, however, that the GoA and other Member States
supported more nuanced tactics to reach the ultimate
objective. The Austrian Ambassador in Addis Ababa, for
example, has advised Vienna that intensive lobbying of
African leaders would be counterproductive at this point.
According to Lennkh, many African leaders feel the USG and EU
are pressuring them into a re-hatting decision. In this
environment, Lennkh said there are some indications the March
10 AU PSC may not produce a conclusive decision. Lennkh said
it is possible the AU will not formally reject the
re-hatting, but will postpone a decision.


2. (C) Lennkh opined that there were several factors, which
were complicating the situation in Sudan. Recent protests in
Khartoum against the UN re-hatting had also injected the
cartoon controversy into the mix. Lennkh argued that the USG
and EU should send a "tough message" to Sudanese President
el-Bashir to stop the protests, underlining that, in Sudan,
such demonstrations are impossible without government
encouragement. Asked about el-Bashir's true intentions,
Lennkh replied that the regime remains concerned that the
country could eventually disintegrate because of ethnic and
regional rivalries. Lennkh added that, in order to "hold
things together," el-Bashir is encouraging different Sudanese
officials to pursue different tracks simultaneously. This
gives el-Bashir the flexibility to switch tracks to take
advantage of changing circumstances. For example, Lennkh
maintained that, currently, the Sudanese regime understands
it should put more effort into the Abuja political talks.
McCaw